House Minority Leader Mark Waller said today he plans to make a “big announcement” in Denver on July 1 and here’s a clue about what’s going to happen: The 10 a.m. event will happen at the University of Denver’s College of Law.

The Colorado Springs Republican has long been mentioned as a possible candidate for attorney general in 2014, when Republican John Suthers is term limited. So far, one Republican already has announced for the race, Cynthia Coffman, who is the No. 2 person in the AG’s office. Check out her website.

Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck also is expected to enter the GOP primary for attorney general.

Only one Democrat, former Adams County District Attorney Don Quick, is running. Democrat Morgan Carroll, the Senate majority leader, had been urged to run by supporters who were impressed with her vision of consumer protection for the office, but she said Monday she is not running.

When I saw state Sen. Morgan Carroll and former Adams County District Attorney Don Quick standing together at the state Capitol today, I whipped out my camera, walked over and said, “So, is this a primary picture?”

“No,” Carroll said. “I’m not running.”

Quick earlier announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Supporters of Carroll, an Aurora Democrat and the Senate majority leader, had urged her to do the same.

Quick later told me that he had just asked Carroll if she wanted to grab a cup of coffee sometime because he wanted to know if she was going to run, and then I barged in and got his answer for him. (Both Carroll and Quick were at the Capitol to support Democrat Betsy Markey, a former congresswoman who announced she was running for the Democratic nomination for state treasurer.)

So, it appears Quick will be the lone Democrat running in the 2014 race, but the GOP primary for AG could be a barn burner. Cynthia Coffman, who currently is the No. 2 person at the AG’s office, has officially announced she is running for the GOP nomination. House Minority Leader Mark Waller and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck also are expected to run for the Republican nomination.

Attorney General John Suthers, a Republican, is term limited after 2014.

Present for the signing of an elder abuse bill were Attorney General John Suthers, Governor John Hickenlooper, Seniors Resource Center President John Zabawa and the bill sponsors, Sen. Hudak and Reps. Sue Schafer and Amy Stephens. (Photo by Ryan Dolecek, Seniors’ Resource Center)

Colorado used to be one of three states without an elder-abuse law but not any more, thanks to the work of a task force that met last summer and bipartisan legislation that was signed into law this month.

The bill requires professionals in health care, finance, social work and law enforcement to report elder abuse.

“We must protect those who are most vulnerable from being mistreated and abused,” said Rep. Sue Schafer, D-Wheat Ridge, one of the bill sponsors.

She recently sent a release about the signing and a photo of the event to the Denver Post with a note: “Thought you might appreciate what bipartisanship looks like.”

Republican Attorney General John Suthers’ office helped work on Senate Bill 111, which was sponsored by Reps. Schafer and Amy Stephens, R-Monument, and Sen. Evie Hudak, D-Westminster. Tt was signed into law by Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Attorney General John Suthers issued an exceptionally strong statement today about Gov. John Hickenlooper’s decision to grant death row inmate Nathan Dunlap a reprieve.

Suthers, a former district attorney, doesn’t usually criticize the other constitutional officers, but he clearly was upset.

“I have an excellent working relationship with the governor and I respect him very much,” Suthers said, in his comments. “Yet it’s been apparent to me that issues of crime and punishment are not his strength. John Hickenlooper is an optimist. He has proven to be uncomfortable confronting the perpetrators of evil in our society.”

Suthers is a Republican, Hickenlooper a Democrat. Here is Suthers’ full statement:

“It’s been my observation over many years that the extraordinary powers we give the president and our state governors is the one place in the criminal justice system where personal philosophy can trump the rule of law. And make no mistake about it — that is exactly what has happened in the case of People v. Nathan Dunlap.

Surrounded by metro area law enforcement officials, 17th Judicial District Attorney Don Quick describes Operation Sweet Leaf which involved the arrest of several individuals and confiscation of sever illegal marijuana grows in multiple counties. Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post

Former Adams County District Attorney Don Quick is expected to kick off his race Monday with a big VIP alongside.

Ken Salazar – former Secretary of the Interior and Colorado senator – will help bring attention to Quick’s big day. Quick served as deputy of criminal prosecutions and later as top deputy for Attorney General Salazar back in the day.

As the legislative session nears its end, questions have surfaced over whether House Minority Leader Mark Waller will formally announce a run for Attorney General, and if he will step down from leadership if that happens.

Waller, a Colorado Springs Republican, has led House Republicans since the party lost its majority in the 2012 election.

Among the names floated as the likely successor to Waller are Republican Reps. Brian DelGrosso of Loveland and Libby Szabo of Arvada, say several lawmakers and Capitol lobbyists.

“Some have said it’s between Libby and DelGrosso,” said Rep. Frank McNulty, R- Highlands Ranch, who served as House Speaker after the 2010 election. “At some point if he (Waller) chooses to run for another office, then the caucus would need to choose a new leader.”

But McNulty, like many House Republicans interviewed Wednesday, including Waller, stressed that the caucus’ sole focus is on the remainder of the 2013 session, which is scheduled to end a week from today.

“I’m focused on getting through the end of the session,” Waller said. “My job is to focus on the best policy for Coloradans.”

Szabo said if Waller does run for Attorney General, “then it is widely understood he’s going to step down.”

Speaking on a conservative talk radio show over the weekend, El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa alleged Senate Democratic leadership is angling to withhold a bill on pay increases for county sheriffs because of their opposition to gun control measures.

In fact, Maketa, a Republican who was elected sheriff in 2002, said he “will push” to have Republican Attorney General John Suthers investigate it.

Senate President John Morse, a Colorado Springs Democrat, on Sunday called those allegations “blatantly false” and “reprehensible.”

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Sen. John Morse

“A line needs to be drawn between right from wrong,” Maketa said on The Jeff Crank Show, before alleging Democrats committed an “unlawful act.”

Maketa could not be reached despite several requests for comment Sunday – though in the radio interview he noted he would look to publish a letter in The Gazette this week outlining what occurred.

Delta County Sheriff Fred McKee, who is president of County Sheriffs of Colorado, said he had no knowledge of any Democratic lawmakers making any sort of threats in regard to pay raises.

[media-credit name=” Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post ” align=”alignright” width=”270″][/media-credit] Former Adams County District Attorney Don Quick, surrounded by metro area law enforcement officials during a news conference on marijuana a year ago, is running for Colorado attorney general.

Former Adams County District Attorney Don Quick has mailed his paperwork to the secretary of state to run as a candidate for attorney general in 2014.

The Westminster Democrat has been a prosecutor for 25 years, the last eight as DA and before that six years in the Attorney General’s office.

“I saw what you can do in that office,” Quick said.

The 2014 contest for attorney general is an open race as Republican John Suthers is term limited. At least three Republicans have been discussed as candidates for the job: The No. 2 in the AG’s office, Cynthia Coffman; House Minority Leader Mark Waller of Colorado Springs; and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.

Republican John Suthers today reached a milestone, becoming the second-longest serving attorney general in state history.

Suthers was appointed the state’s 37th AG by then Gov. Bill Owens upon the election of Ken Salazar to the U.S. Senate. (Of note, although Salazar was a Democrat, he recommended Suthers succeed him in the job.) Suthers was sworn in on Jan. 4, 2005.

He won election to the office in 2006 and 2010, when he received more votes any other GOP candidate, including for U.S. senator and governor. Suthers is term limited and will leave office in January 2015 after 10 years.

Only Duke Dunbar, who served 22 years from 1951 to 1973, had a longer tenure as AG than Suthers.

Lynn Bartels thinks politics is like sports but without the big salaries and protective cups. The Washington Post's "The Fix" blog has named her one of Colorado's best political reporters and tweeters.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.